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Guidebooks below
Kissing the Trail: Northwest & Central Oregon Mountain Bike Trails
John Zilly
$19.95
352 pages, 85 maps, hundreds of photos
ISBN: 978-1881583127
First edition (Sasquatch Books) 1998, second edition (Adventure Press) 2008
The mountain biking in Oregon is pretty close to perfect. If that's what you're looking for, this is your book. The second edition of Kissing the Trail: Northwest & Central Oregon has 84 mountain bike rides all over Oregon—trails near Hood River, East Mount Hood, Bend, Oakridge, Eugene, and around greater Portland. It features a route at Scappoose and two North Umpqua epics. These are mountain bike trails you won't find in any other guidebook. Elevation profiles, GPS coordinates, obsessively precise maps, over-the-bars trail descriptions. Plus the best driving directions you'll find in any guidebook. It's all mountain biking, and you'll be on singletrack on nearly every ride. Note: Last published in 2008, some of the trails have been changed, rerouted, or are gone entirely. So enjoy the rides at your own risk.
Possibly available: AbeBooks, Amazon, thriftbooks
Running in Circles: Sciencey, Gamey, Head-Scratchy Track Workouts for Faster Running
Scott Tucker, John Zilly, Jason Grube
$18.95
90 pages, 35 unique track workouts
ISBN: 978-1881583134
Published 2020
One thing is guaranteed to make you a faster runner. Intervals. There's also one thing that circles and double underlines the sheer tedium of running. Again, intervals! Running in Circles is different. It's for serious runners, but... The illustrations are off the hook. The writing is quirky and playful. The workouts make you think and run at the same time. Run hard! If you go to the track and try running a few of these workouts, you will never subject yourself to repetitive, humorless, mind-numbing intervals again. You're much smarter than that. Plus, you want to run faster. With a foreword by Lisa Jhung, author of Running That Doesn't Suck: How to Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It).
West Seattle 101: A Hundred and One Things To Do
Lori Hinton
$17.95
240 pages
ISBN: 978-1881583110
Published 2005
The birthplace of Seattle, West Seattle has enticed adventurous pioneers since the Denny Party landed on Alki Beach in 1851. Now, this enigmatic neighborhood is the first in Seattle to have its own guidebook—West Seattle 101. Inside you’ll find an eclectic collection of 101 things to do. Fly fish at Lincoln Park, take it off at striptease aerobics, savor ice cream at the iconic Husky Deli, and discover 98 other intriguing West Seattle activities. Written by Westside native Lori Hinton, West Seattle 101 is a true insider's guide for locals and tourists alike, packed with details for each adventure plus a peek at the colorful characters and history of this thriving community.
About the author: Creative site, LinkedIn
Beyond Mount Si: The Best Hikes Within 85 Miles of Seattle
John Zilly
$17.95
224 pages, 70 hikes
ISBN: 978-1881583082
Published 2003
5 Star Review from Amazon: This is one of 3 local hiking guides I have of the area and this is definitely the most user-friendly one. The driving directions were clear and the description of the hikes was accurate and very helpful.
The thing I appreciate most with this guide provides was that whether or not there is a fee (parking and/or permit) involved at each hike. By listing who manages each trail, I could avoid arriving at a hike just to find out that I did not have cash to pay for parking or that I should have stop by a local vendor to get a pass/permit.
Also, I always take my dog on hikes, so it is good to know the pet regulation at each trail.
This is definitely a must for everyone who lives in the Seattle area and wants to explore the local trails.
Available: Amazon, Half Price Books
Kissing the Trail: Greater Seattle Mountain Bike Adventures
John Zilly
$17.95
224 pages, 65 rides
ISBN: 978-1881583097
First edition 1993, second edition 1997, third edition 2003
In 1993, Kissing the Trail began serving up just what Seattle mountain bikers craved—great dirt trails within 85 miles of the city. The third edition plates up more of the same good mountain grub. Seattle’s mountain bike bible is back, with all the irreverence, fun, and expert detail you’ve come to expect. Whatever your tastes or abilities, Kissing the Trail leads the way to great rides. Note: Last published in 2003, many of the trails have been changed, rerouted, or are gone entirely. So if you can find this book, enjoy the rides at your own risk.
Available: Amazon, AbeBooks, Better World Books
Mountain Bike! Northwest Washington: A Guide to Trails & Adventure
John Zilly
$15.95
199 pages, 58 rides
ISBN: 978-1570611384
Published 1998 (Sasquatch Books)
5 Star Review. I wish all guide books were as well researched as this one. Each hand drawn map has GPS waypoints on it plus all the major features and a reference to the USGS/Green Trails Map. Locations of nearby campgrounds and supplies. Plus a very nice rating system so you don't get in over your head. There are 2 maybe 3 overlapping trails with the "Kissing the Trail" book but that's ok. Wish I had thought of having a career of riding my bike and writing a book about it. Way to go John.
Possibly available: Amazon.
Mountain Bike! Southwest Washington: A Guide to Trails and Adventure
John Zilly
$15.95
208 pages, 61 rides
ISBN: 978-1570611377
Published 1998 (Sasquatch Books)
For an exceptional fat-tire roundup of the Evergreen State, follow the highly informative tread of John Zilly. The author of Kissing the Trail widens his scope with two volumes detailing some of the best trails in Western Washington. Mountain Bike! Southwest Washington, and its companion, Mountain Bike! Northwest Washington are the definitions of good guidebooks: they boast serious research, sensible organization, and a battery of useful trail maps and directions. What's more, Zilly possesses a flair for the written word not often found in such practical guides; he steers the hungry cyclist through a variety of trail conditions and skill levels in style, highlighting particularly gnarly terrain and displaying an infectious enthusiasm for the thrill of a squirrelly widowmaker descent. Serious knobby-heads will also thank Zilly (and, later on the trail, curse him) for the inclusion of 30-mile "epics," all-day single-track journeys that combine awesome views, technical riding, and all-out endurance tests. Note: Last published in 1998, many of the trails have been changed, rerouted, or are gone entirely. So if you can find this book, enjoy the rides at your own risk.
Available: Amazon
Wild Pigs: The Mountain Bike Adventure Guide to the Pacific Coast
John Zilly
$12.95
203 pages, 50 rides plus maps to tour the Pacific Coast
ISBN: 978-1881583059
Published 1995
Filled with tips for training for a trip and then some, this mountain bike guide describes 50 mountain bike rides between Whistler, British Columbia, and Santa Barbara, California with 65 maps, 105 b&w photos, and precise trail descriptions. The guide also includes maps for touring the entire coast and information on restaurants, bed & breakfasts, bike shops, campgrounds and more. Note: Last published in 1995, many of the trails have been changed, rerouted, or are gone entirely. So if you can find this book, enjoy the rides at your own risk.
Possibly available: Amazon
The Mountain Bike Adventure Guide for the Sun Valley Area
John Zilly, Eloise Christensen
$9.95
54 pages, 20 rides, maps
ISBN: 978-1881583004
First edition 1988, second edition 1992, third edition 1995
The first ever mountain bike guide for Idaho, The Mountain Bike Adventure Guide was, in its day, the bible for riding trails near Sun Valley. It went out of print after three editions, but riders enjoyed it throughout the 1990s. Note: Last published in 1995, many of the trails have been changed, rerouted, or are gone entirely. So enjoy the rides at your own risk.
Possibly available: Amazon
Son of the Mountain Bike Adventure Guide: Ketchum, Stanley, and Beyond
John Zilly
$9.95
52 pages, 17 rides
ISBN: 978-1881583011
First edition 1992, second edition 1995
One of the first mountain bike guides for the amazing, high desert trails near Sun Valley, Idaho, The Son of the Mountain Bike Adventure Guide was, in its day, a bible for cyclists searching out dirt trails near in the greater Ketchum area. It went out of print after two editions, but riders enjoyed it throughout the 1990s. Note: Last published in 1995, many of the trails have been changed, rerouted, or are gone entirely. So enjoy the rides at your own risk.
Possibly available: Amazon
The Good, The Bad, and The Bogus: Nathan Lockard’s Complete Guide to Video Games, 1995
Nathan Lockard
$14.95
265 pages, 775 epic reviews
ISBN: 978-1881583042
Published 1995
Ever bought a video game so bad it bordered on bogus? $50 down the drain. Fear not, The Good, The Bad, and The Bogus (TGTB2) reviews and rates more than 775 Sega Genesis, Sega CD, and Super Nintendo games, including all the classics. If you love those early gaming consoles and the nutty games that ran on them, this just might be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
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About John Zilly
Zilly took a “you’re ruining your life” year after high school to bicycle around the United States, pedaling more than 10,000 miles over nine months. From there he went on to study philosophy, write 12 guidebooks, and work at both agencies and in-house as a writer, creative director, and CMO. He’s won numerous advertising awards, founded multiple businesses, written and produced a Super Bowl spot, coined numerous company names and taglines, run marathons and ultras, spent many nights in a tent, and built a bunch of igloos. These days he lives in Seattle working on brand strategy at TalktoZilly by day and writing novels in the early mornings.